French forces free Dutch hostage in Mali

April 6, 2015 10:33 AM

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PARIS (Reuters) - French forces have freed a Dutch man held hostage in Mali since 2011 by al Qaeda's north African arm, the French defense ministry said.

It said Sjaak Rijke, who was kidnapped in Timbuktu in November 2011, was freed on Monday during a special operation and had been transferred "safe and sound" to a temporary base in Tessalit, north-east Mali.